I was probably the first economist to start analysing
how economists work in the real world.

“The
advice in this book is distilled from half a lifetime’s mistakes. I have
wasted years on pointless economic studies, and have worked on minor
problems when major problems needed urgent attention. The problems I did
tackle were tackled awkwardly and ineffectively. Years were spent on
studies which had no effect because I did not manage to communicate my
results to the decision makers and persuade them to act. I have produced
third‑rate work when I could have produced competent work with the same
effort. I have no doubt that I would have achieved two or three times as
much if I had read a book like this when I was twenty‑one.”